The latest enforcement action, carried out on Thursday by the agency’s Karu Operational Office, affected ABZAT Quarry, Hoafong Mining Trading Company Ltd, Emono Venture and Mivanyi Integrated Farms.
NESREA said the facilities were shut down for offences ranging from air pollution to failure to possess required environmental management documents, including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The operation was led by the Head of Operations of the Karu Operational Office, Mr Da’am Monday.
The agency’s action is significant given the environmental risks associated with quarrying, mining and other industrial activities, particularly their potential impact on air quality, land, water resources and the health of communities hosting such operations.
Nigeria’s environmental regulatory framework specifically provides for the control of pollution from quarrying and blasting operations. NESREA’s regulations on the sector are designed to control the effects of such activities on the environment and human health while promoting responsible exploitation of natural resources.
Similarly, the agency maintains specific regulations governing air quality, with the stated objective of improving air quality and protecting human health, flora, fauna and other resources from deterioration caused by air pollutants.
The Nasarawa enforcement comes against the backdrop of growing regulatory attention to pollution and environmental degradation associated with industrial and extractive activities across the country.
NESREA, established under the 2007 Act, is empowered to enforce Nigeria’s environmental laws, standards, guidelines and regulations and to prohibit activities and processes capable of undermining environmental quality.
In recent years, the agency has increasingly resorted to sealing non-compliant facilities rather than allowing operators to continue activities while disregarding environmental requirements.
In September 2025, for instance, NESREA sealed 29 facilities across Ekiti, Osun and Ogun States, citing environmental pollution and regulatory breaches. The agency said some of the affected recycling operations posed serious health risks because of hazardous waste generated from their processes.
The agency has also taken enforcement action against quarrying operations in the Federal Capital Territory. In February 2026, NESREA shut a quarry in Abuja following a fatal blasting incident involving a 10-year-old boy, with officials stressing that the quarry had previously been sealed as part of enforcement efforts.
The pattern has underscored a central challenge for environmental regulation in Nigeria: balancing economic activities such as mining, quarrying, construction and manufacturing with the obligation to prevent pollution and protect communities.
The issue of environmental documentation is particularly important in the latest Nasarawa action.
An Environmental Impact Assessment is intended to identify and evaluate the potential environmental consequences of projects before or during their implementation and to provide a framework for mitigating harmful effects.
NESREA has repeatedly cited failure to conduct or obtain the necessary environmental assessments among violations that have led to facility closures. In an earlier enforcement operation, the agency sanctioned construction facilities for lacking required environmental documents, including Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Audit Reports.
For quarrying operations, environmental controls also cover issues such as air pollution, noise pollution, spills and leaks, environmental management plans and emissions associated with quarry operations.
Against this background, the sealing of the four Nasarawa facilities signals that regulatory compliance is being treated as an operational requirement rather than an optional administrative formality.
NESREA reiterated its commitment to enforcing environmental laws and regulations across the country, warning facilities to adopt environmentally responsible practices and deploy the best available technology in their operations.
The agency said the enforcement exercise demonstrated its resolve to safeguard the environment, protect public health and promote sustainable development.
The latest action therefore sends a wider message to operators in Nigeria’s mining, quarrying, agricultural and industrial sectors: economic activity will not be allowed to override environmental obligations, particularly where pollution or regulatory violations could expose surrounding communities to health and environmental risks.
NESREA’s continuing enforcement drive also places renewed focus on the need for industries to obtain the necessary environmental approvals, maintain proper environmental management systems and ensure that their operations meet prescribed national standards before and during production.
